From left, Dan Dodman, Jesse Crowe (Salmon Arm Golf Club), Philip Jonas (Philip Jonas Golf Academy), Cam Tucker, Winston Michell (Hirsch Creek Golf & Winter Club) and Connor Taiji (Victoria Golf Club) are among the recipients of 2017 PGA of BC Awards who will be honoured during the Association's Awards Celebration taking place Oct. 11 at the River Rock Casino Resort - Image Courtesy PGA of BC

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

OCTOBER 3, 2017

RICHMOND, BC (PGA of British Columbia) - The PGA of BC is proud to announce the recipients of four of the Association's 2017 awards, as well as the PGA of BC Community Leadership Bursary and the Jim Gibson Scholarship. These honours are designed to recognize leaders in the golf community exhibiting qualities such as volunteerism, selflessness, passion, and dedication to the game.

The recipients, along with the winners of 10 other PGA of BC Awards, will be recognized at the PGA of BC Awards Celebration taking place Oct. 11 at the River Rock Casino Resort in Richmond.

Colin Lavers, Shown Here Working With Players At A BC Golf Development Camp, Is One Of Only A Few Nationally Certified Coaches From BC - Image Credit/Jurgen Kaminski (JKam Photos)/BC Golf

From October 10-12th this fall the PGA of Canada will be holding a National Coaching Certification Program at University Golf Club in Vancouver as part of its pursuit to grow the quality of coaching and instruction in Canada. 

One of the instructors at that event will be Provincial and Nationally Certified Coach, Colin Lavers, out of Seymour Golf and Country Club in North Vancouver. Lavers is one of the few coaches who is CNC certified in the province and he also oversees a National Junior Golf Development Centre (NJGDC) at Seymour G&CC as part of a ‘tri-partnership’ with Golf Canada, the PGA of Canada and British Columbia Golf.

Kimberley, BC's Jared du Toit Took Medallist Honours As He And Three Other BCer's Earned Their Way Into Round 2 Of Web.com Q-School - Image Courtesy Golf Canada

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

Abbotsford’s Adam Hadwin officially ended the Presidents Cup on Sunday afternoon when he conceded a three-foot putt for par to Phil Mickelson on the 17th green at Liberty National Golf Club.

Hadwin and Mickelson were the last two players on the course in Sunday’s singles finale. Of course, the Presidents Cup had been clinched by the Americans much earlier.

SFU's Scott Kerr (L) And Chris Crisologo (R) Finished One - Two In The Annual WWU Invitational At Bellingham Golf & Country Club - Image Courtesy SFU Athletics

By Steve Frost/ SFU Athletics (sfrost@sfu.ca)

BELLINGHAM, Wash. – Sophomore Scott Kerr fired a final round six-under-par 66 to edge teammate Chris Crisologo for medalist honours, helping Simon Fraser University capture the 46th Annual WWU Invitational Tuesday at Bellingham Golf & Country Club.

Kerr won his first career tournament by two strokes over Crisologo with a three-round score of 10-under-par 206. Kerr birdied the par 3 18th hole, one of seven birdies in the round, to finish at 6-under par at the 54-hole tournament. Kerr recorded rounds of 71, 69 and 66.

The 2017 Vancouver Open Champion, James Allenby, Poses With Winning Trophy And A Big Cheque 

Courtesy Vancouver Golf Tour (VGT)/Fraser Mulholland

Langley’s James Allenby rose to the top against many of the PACIFIC NORTHWEST’S top Pros at the Johnston Meier Insurance Vancouver Open this weekend at Northview Golf & Country Club.

Allenby’s win came in dramatic fashion, closing his final round out in style with a 2-putt birdie en route to a stellar round of 6-under par 66 and a one-shot win over Victoria’s Steven Lecuyer and Oregon’s Nick Sherwood.

Allenby’s 3-day total of 69, 70, 66 (-11) bettered a full field of 142 players including 48 Professionals heralding from as far east as Edmonton, Alberta to as far south as Albany, Oregon.

A Final-Round 66 Secured A Two-Stroke Triumph For Phil Jonas In The PGA Of BC Club Professional Championship At Victoria Golf Club - Image Courtesy PGA of BC

VICTORIA, BC,  September 19, 2017 (PGA of British Columbia) - Phil Jonas separated himself from the field to win the Cleveland Golf/Srixon Canada PGA of BC Club Professional Championship presented by Oakcreek Golf & Turf at Victoria Golf Club.

Jonas (Philip Jonas Golf Academy) fired a tournament-low, 4-under-par round of 66 on the esteemed Oak Bay course to finish with a 36-hole total of 3-under-par 137, beating out Matthew Palsenbarg (Northview Golf Academy) by two strokes to claim the Dick Munn Memorial Trophy.

Marc-Etienne Bussieres Closed With A Final-Round 6-under 66, Making An Eagle And Three Birdies Over The Final Nine Holes To Win The PGA Assistants Championship - Image Courtesy PGA of Canada 

[RICHMOND, B.C., Sept. 14, 2017]—Marc-Etienne Bussieres parlayed an incredible final nine holes at Richmond Country Club into a win at the PGA Championship of Canada presented by Callaway Golf.

Bussieres closed with a final-round 6-under-par 66, making an eagle and three birdies over the final nine holes to chase down and eventually pass his good friend Sonny Michaud.

Image Courtesy Golden Eagle Golf Course

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

Kwadwo 'Kojo' Frempong spends a lot of his working day on the golf course and it seems many people are a little jealous about that. “I get asked a lot, how did you get that job, and how do I get a job like you,” Frempong says with a chuckle. “And I say, 'You have to wait until I die.' Then I add that it’s very stressful.”

Frempong’s job is to do the course and slope ratings for golf courses in the province for British Columbia Golf. And that entails spending a lot of time on the course. It’s a dirty job but somebody has to do it.

Vancouver Golf Tour’s Flagship Event Begins Friday At Northview Golf Club - Image Courtesy Northview Golf Club

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

Vancouver Golf Tour commissioner Fraser Mulholland chuckled when asked if he had been able to talk Adam Hadwin into defending his Vancouver Open title this weekend at Northview Golf Club. “Not quite,” Mulholland says. “We’re glad to not have him in the field if we can watch him play the Tour Championship for $10 million. It’s just so great for him to be hitting all these milestones.”

Hadwin, a three-time winner of the Vancouver Open -- including last year at Pagoda Ridge in Langley -- will be wrapping up his spectacular PGA TOUR season this weekend at the Tour Championship in Atlanta. Then it’s on to the Presidents Cup, where the Abbotsford native will play for captain Nick Price’s International team.

Kimberley, BC's Jared du Toit Has Had A Pretty Solid Start To His Pro Career, Earning Canadian Player Of The Year Honours On The PGA Tour Canada-Mackenzie Tour Circuit - Image Credit Bernard Brault/Golf Canada

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

He wasn’t happy with the way he finished his round, but Kimberley’s Jared du Toit hung on to win Canadian Player of the Year honours on the PGA Tour Canada-Mackenzie Tour circuit.

That award, sponsored by Freedom 55 Financial, carries a hefty $25,000 bonus and du Toit said it helped soothe the frustration he was feeling about ending his round Sunday with three straight bogeys.

Du Toit closed with an even-par 70 to finish the season-ending Freedom 55 Financial Championship in London, Ont., at 10-under par and tied for 17th place. He finished the season 23rd on the money list with $26,233, although he made more than that in unofficial money on Sunday.

The starting tee time for the Pacifi Links Bear Mountain Championship have been released and there are some marquee pairings to follow...

The 54-hole National Championship Takes Place Sept. 18-20 At The Richmond Country Club And Features A Field Stacked With Talent - Image Courtesy PGA of Canada

Via PGA of Canada (Chris Fry)

[RICHMOND, B.C.]—British Columbia’s fourth-largest city is set to host the PGA Assistants’ Championship of Canada presented by Callaway Golf.

“The PGA of Canada is excited about visiting the beautiful province of British Columbia and the highly-regarded Richmond Country Club,” says PGA of Canada president Steve Wood. “The PGA Assistants’ Championship of Canada presented by Callaway Golf annually features some of the best players in our association and this year is no different.”

The Idea Of Modernization Of The Rules Of Golf Has Been Well Received By Golfers Around The World - Image Courtesy Golf Canada

FAR HILLS, N.J., USA and ST ANDREWS, SCOTLAND (September 7, 2017) - The USGA and The R&A have received comments on the proposed new Rules from more than 22,000 golfers in 102 countries, as well as representatives of golf organizations throughout the world, providing valuable feedback as the organizations work toward their implementation on January 1, 2019.

With the worldwide survey and evaluation period now complete, the USGA and The R&A and their respective committees will continue to review all comments received with the goal of finalizing the new Rules next spring and beginning a comprehensive education program later in 2018.

The Saga Of Sagebrush Golf Club Has Taken Another Turn As The Future Of The Property Outside Of Merritt, BC Remains Up In The Air - Image Courtesy Sagebrush Life

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

Two key executives of Sagebrush Golf Club have resigned and the course had some of its maintenance equipment and power carts repossessed earlier this summer.

Sagebrush, located about 15 minutes north of Merritt in Quilchena, has remained closed since Newmark Group, a Langley-based residential development company, bought the course from its original owners nearly two years ago.

Abbotsford, BC's Nick Taylor Reflected On A Positive 2017 PGA TOUR Season And Is Already Looking Ahead To Next Year, Which Is Only A Month Away With The New PGA TOUR Schedule - Image Courtesy Sky Sports

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

Nick Taylor says he will take many positives from his just-concluded 2017 PGA TOUR season and can’t wait until next year. He won’t have to wait long. The 2018 PGA TOUR campaign starts in just over a month at the Safeway Open in Napa, Calif., which goes Oct. 13-16.

Until then, Taylor will enjoy some down time and work on sharpening the one part of his game that he felt at times let him down this past season. That would be his putting. “On the greens I wasn’t great this year putting, so I think that is an area where I can get better,” Taylor said in an interview with British Columbia Golf.

Coquitlam, BC's Euna Han Is In Ottawa As A Member Of Team Canada For The World Junior Girls Championship At The Marshes Golf Club - Image Credit Jurgen Kaminski (JKam Photos)/ BC Golf

Two Teams Will Fly The Flag For Canada At The Marshes Golf Club In Ottawa

OAKVILLE, Ont. – The world’s top 18-and-under female junior golfers will head to Ottawa for the fourth edition of the World Junior Girls Championship from Sept. 26-29 at The Marshes Golf Club. As host nation, Canada will send two teams of three athletes to compete for the international title of World Junior Girls champion.

“It is an honour to host this prestigious event and we look forward to welcoming these players to Canada,” said tournament director Mary Beth McKenna. “The course is in fantastic shape and we are thrilled to host some of the world’s best juniors at this historic club. Our partners at The Marshes Golf Club and the communities in the surrounding area have come together to make this a truly memorable event for our competitors.”

2017 BC Junior Boys Champion Christian Zalli Will Be Studying And Playing Golf At UBC This Fall - All Images Credit: Jurgen Kaminski (JKam Photos)/British Columbia Golf

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

When Christian Zalli won the B.C. Junior Boys Championship in July at Squamish Valley Golf & Country Club, the Vancouver resident was adamant that college golf was not in his future. 

He was going to the University of B.C. to focus on his studies and would not be playing golf. End of story. But Zalli has had a change of heart and UBC golf coach Chris MacDonald is thankful about that.

Abbotsford, BC's Adam Hadwin Clinched His Automatic Selection This Weekend To The International Squad For This Year's Presidents Cup Competition In New Jersey - Image Courtesy adamhadwin.com

By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf

It wasn’t quite the round he had hoped for on Monday, but Abbotsford’s Adam Hadwin still accomplished a huge goal by clinching a spot on the International team for this fall’s Presidents Cup.

That Presidents Cup berth is the cherry atop what has been a spectacular year for Hadwin, who shot a 59 at the CareerBuilder Challenge in January and earned his first PGA Tour win two months later at the Valspar Championship in Palm Harbor, Fla.

Hadwin finished 10th on the International team points list for the Presidents Cup, which goes Sept. 28-Oct. 1 at Liberty National Golf Club in Jersey City, N.J. International captain Nick Price will make his two captain’s picks later this week.

British Columbia Golf's Manager Of Golf Participation, Tyler McKay, Seen Here With A Budding Golf Superhero, Is Bringing The Concept Of The Game To Youngsters In A Fun Fashion - Image Credit Jurgen Kaminski (JKam Photos)/ British Columbia Golf

Tyler McKay discovered golf as a kid growing up in the West Kootenay community of Rossland and it wasn’t long before he became hooked on the game.

Years later, it’s now McKay’s job to get British Columbia youngsters interested in golf and he relishes that challenge. McKay, British Columbia Golf’s new Manager of Golf Participation, figures the game sells itself.

His biggest challenge is getting kids exposed to golf, so he spends most of his days doing just that. McKay sets up shop in parks and lets children take their first swings.

Merritt, B.C.'s Roger Sloan (L) And Surrey's Adam Svensson (R) Are Looking To Earn PGA TOUR Cards For Next Year As They Play The Web.com Finals This Week - Image Credits- Alfie Lau (Sloan)/ SportBox (Svensson) 

Written by Austin Stanton / Golf Canada

Four Canadians will be in the field this week at the first Web.com Tour Finals event the Nationwide Children’s Hospital Charity Championship at Ohio State University Golf Club’s Scarlet Course in Arlington, Ohio. Leading the way with his PGA TOUR card already locked up is Thornhill, Ont., native Ben Silverman.

Silverman is playing the best golf of his professional career with four top-10s in his last four starts – including his first career Web.com Tour win at the Price Cutter Charity Championship presented by Dr. Pepper.

He finished the regular season No. 10 on the Web.com Tour Money List securing one of 25 cards available in the regular season and will be jockeying for priority on the PGA TOUR card list during the Finals.

Joining Silverman in Ohio are fellow Canadians Corey Conners (Listowel, Ont.), Roger Sloan (Merritt, B.C.),and Adam Svensson (Surrey, B.C.).